Petunia plant named ‘Dopetstar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Dopetstar’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; white and violet bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia X hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPETSTAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dopetstar’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Petunia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2015 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT14-005879-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia X hybrida identified as code number TT14-004555-035, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dopetstar’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dopetstar’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White and violet bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have greyed white and purple bi-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have white and dark purple bi-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia X hybrida ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of         ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’ differ         in flower color as plants of ‘Sanguna Twirl Purple’ have white         and red purple bi-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dopetstar’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 22-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia X hybrida ‘Dopetstar’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X             hybrida identified as code number TT14-005879-001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia X             hybrida identified as code number TT14-004555-035, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 155B in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;             freely branching habit with about ten to twelve primary             lateral branches each with about five to seven secondary             branches developing after pinching; moderately vigorous             growth habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 34             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 36             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 95 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 34 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144B; at the internodes, close             to 137D.         -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 137B; at the internodes,             close to 137D. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;             leathery; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C; venation,             close to N137D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; firm. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 275 flowers developing per plant during the flowering             season; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Rippled, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.9 cm,         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 3.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3.4 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Rippled, glabrous; matte. Throat texture             and luster: Rippled, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and             luster: Rippled, pubescent; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when             opening, upper surface: Alternating stripes of close to 155C             and N88C. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface:             Alternating stripes of close to 155C and 145D. Petal lobe,             fully opened, upper surface: Alternating stripes of close to             NN155C and N87C; venation, close to 83A; colors do not fade             with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower surface:             Alternating stripes of close to 155C and 85B; venation,             close to 83C; colors do .not fade with development. Flower             throat: Close to 79A; venation, close to 79A. Flower tube:             Close to N77A; venation, close to 79A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Sepal length: About 1.5 cm. Sepal width: About 4 mm.             Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, when opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2.1 cm. Filament color: Close to             N155A. Anther length: About 1.2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.             Anther color: Close to 68B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 94D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 2 cm. Style             color: Close to 145D. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma             shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to N186A. Ovary color:             Close to N144B. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant: About             200 during the flowering season. Length: About 7 mm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 160D. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About 70. Length:             About 0.4 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 199B. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain, temperatures     ranging from about 3° C. to about 28° C. and to be suitable for USDA     Hardiness Zone 11. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Dopetstar’ as illustrated and described. 